1989 Porsche 944 S2

Little is known of the Porsche 944 before the current owner bought it but, given how comprehensive the service history is we think it’s safe to assume that it’s been owned by a series of obsessives over the years who have invested the time and money to keep it in the manner to which it has become accustomed. This is obviously a Good Thing.

The current owner has had the car for just over two years and has sunk a considerable sum into it during that period; he’s got a second home in Spain and wanted it to be reliable enough to make the journey down and then use it while he was there. Well, he’s done just that (yes, we’re jealous too…) and is only selling the Porsche because he’s decided to buy a local left-hand-drive classic to keep there permanently.

The Guards Red paintwork looks splendid after having had professional repairs made to the lower edges of both front and rear wings and the sills; aficionados will know that this is a well-known weakness of the model and the owner has taken the time and trouble to get the problem sorted properly.

The red folding hood was also replaced in 2005 at a cost of more than £700. It’s still in fabulous condition even now and is as water- and wind-proof as the day it was fitted. The alloy wheels are also in fine condition, although a couple of the tyres look like they’ll need replacing sometime soon.

The owner tells us that the car has had some localized paint made to it over the years, and that the red paintwork is slightly faded in places. We think he’s being overly cautious in his description, but he’s trying to be as honest as he can and is keen to describe the car warts ‘n’ all. The best bet might be to take a trip down to Kent to check it for yourself; the owner’s a lovely chap and could probably be persuaded to pop the kettle on while you’re crawling over and under his pride and joy…

The linen leather seats show only mild creasing and patination (even the drivers’ bolster appears to have survived well) and the door cards and carpets (including the red overmats) are exceptionally clean. The overall condition of the interior is excellent and it’s a lovely place to be, whether that’s cocooned with the roof up or enjoying al fresco motoring with it down!

Other niceties include the original books in their folder, collapsible spare, tyre inflator compressor in box, jack and tool roll (albeit tool roll is not 100% complete).

Faults are minor and easily resolved: the clock doesn’t work (although a repair kit is included); the internal boot release doesn’t work, although the boot can still be opened from outside the car; the fuel gauge doesn’t rise above three-quarters full; a foglight is cracked; and the electric adjustment for the driver’s seat is inoperative, although it can still be manually adjusted.

Given the care the vehicle has received throughout its life you won’t be surprised to hear that it is in fabulous condition. The owner has spent well over £5,000 on service and repair work since he bought it in 2016, including a new catalytic convertor, a new camshaft chain and tensioners, a new power steering rack, a new radiator, water pump and coolant, and a new TDC sensor as well as the aforementioned body repairs.

The brakes have also been overhauled recently with new front pads and fluid change, the gearbox has had fresh oil and a new linkage, the chassis benefits from a four-wheel alignment, and it’s had new power steering and alternator belts. The only mechanical fault we know of is a rear silencer that rattles slightly when it’s hot.

The underbonnet area is as clean as tidy as the outside of the car, although if it were ours we’d be tempted to get the rocker cover painted and invest a tenner in replacing some of the rusty nuts and bolts. This minor work would transform the engine bay into something you can show off with pride.

The Porsche has a fully stamped service book, comprising:

30.09.89 - 2,040 miles at Ian Anthony

10.08.90 - 10,262 miles at Ian Anthony

12.07.91 - 22,427 miles at Merlin

19.12.91 - 28,430 miles at Stratstone of Wilmslow

03.08.92 - 30,750 miles at JCT600

11.08.93 - 34,645 miles at Stratstone of Wilmslow

01.08.94 - 39,851 miles at Stratstone of Wilmslow

03.10.95 - 48,026 miles at Glenvarigill

08.10.96 - 53,804 miles at Glenvarigill

23.09.97 - 58,607 miles at Glenvarigill

17.09.98 - 64,466 miles at Glenvarigill

13.02.99 - 66,304 miles

14.08.99 - 68,588 miles

18.08.00 - 72,367 miles at Geo Morrison

31.07.01 - 81,743 miles at Geo Morrison

14.08.02 - 84,348 miles at Geo Morrison

06.06.16 - 94,086 miles at LA Motor Co.

05.10.16 - 94,262 miles at Elite Porsche, cambelt, gearbox oil and brake fluid, water pump and coolant, front seals, four-wheel alignment, and rear linkage assembly costing £2,085

20.10.16 - 94,362 miles at Elite Porsche, new radiator and power steering rack costing £1,563

08.08.17 - 96,401 miles at Elite Porsche costing £1,100

13.07.18 - 96,692 miles at Elite Porsche

The car has also had new camshaft chains in 1996 (at 50,240 miles), 2000 (78,000 miles), 2016 (94,262 miles) and 2018 (96,692 miles) and fresh brake fluid and coolant in 1993 (34,645 miles), 1995 (48,026 miles), 1998 (64,466 miles), 2016 (94,262 miles) and 2018 (96,692 miles).

We’ve displayed the invoices from the past two years but more are included in the car’s extensive service history record folder.

The online MOT history confirms the car’s mileage and also shows nothing of concern. The car had a new MOT in July 2018 and comes with 14 expired MOT certificates.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has an extraordinarily comprehensive service history.

The price of Porsche 944s has been slowly rising for some time now and is starting to reflect that of its contemporaries in the Porsche range, so the guide price of £10,500-13,000 seems very reasonable to us. With a complete and fully documented service history, recent (& relevant) significant expenditure, this is your chance to own what would appear to be a good example of a fast appreciating classic that would be happy doing double-duty as a show classic and high-days-and-holidays convertible sports car.

(And, of course, the reserve for this car is set even lower than the already reasonable guide price, which means you might just be able to snaffle a bit of a bargain...)

Viewing is always encouraged, and the vehicle is with its owner in Chislehurst, Kent; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.